Nexus One losing finish, innocence?

There'd been stories dating back a couple months about removable black splotches appearing along the bottom of the Nexus One when used in the included neoprene case, but this looks like a different situation here. Basically, a gentleman has noticed peeling finish on the side and around the dock connectors on the phone's darker finish at the bottom -- the same area affected by the splotching, coincidentally -- after about one weeks' use. We're hoping this can be chalked up to a single defective unit or unusually rough use, but it's kind of interesting that this is the second issue we've seen with that troublesome dark finish, isn't it?

[Thanks, Damien]

[MatriX123 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:17AM]

Probably was rough with it. Maybe the person with the second picture was using the dock station.

[fpad77 Posted Apr 3rd 2010 12:17PM]

@MatriX123 Misuse, use the sleeve container that comes with the phone, the silly pleb.

[Artz86 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:22AM]

You're always going to get defective/bad units when it comes to mass produced devices. Question is, do warranties cover peeling paint?

[joshyth1012 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:22AM]

my nexus one actually started to show sign of this problem before i sell it on ebay, and i'm glad i sell it now...

[doutorpiranha Posted Apr 2nd 2010 4:12PM]

@joshyth1012 glad you screwed someone?

[zapote21 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:31AM]

I've had mine since day one and its perfectly fine... So 2 units out of 200,000 are peeling? Whatever

[graey Posted Apr 5th 2010 6:41AM]

@zapote21
And then it turns out to be 3 out of 200,000, and you're the third. How does that feel? Different?

[Stealthhawk007 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:40AM]

I dont care if it's 2 out of 2 million.. If that happened on my phone I'd be pissed after spending money on that device. I love the Nexus One.. and now contemplating the HTC Desire.. or wait for the Android version of the HD2 similar to the Evo 4G

[JCreazy Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:40AM]

No silicone case?

[Stone632 Posted Apr 3rd 2010 8:10PM]

@JCreazy

Exactly. I paid almost $ 600 USD for my phone ( $ 589.00 included CA sales tax ). The first thing I did was purchase a silicone case for the frame and a scratch resistant film for the screen.

I've had the phone for over a month now and its still in perfect condition. It cost me $ 600, you're damn right im taking good care of it.

If youre looking for a phone to kick around, DONT buy a $ 600 dollar phone

[Kirkaiya Posted Apr 4th 2010 3:30AM]

@Stone632 I can totally respect that point of view - protecting an expensive gadget. For me though, having gone thru, like, 8+ high-end PDAs and smartphones (including the N1 I'm writing thus on) in 12 years, I just view them as very rapidly depreciating and soon-to-be obsolete gadgets. I have a drawer with a mint Palm Vx, a cherry iPaq 1910, and beat-up other ones. None of them are worth anything now, and never get used.

I do like screen protectors though - that's the one thing I really want to last the full 18 - 24 months before I get a Nexus 3, or whatever in 2011/2012.

[SoCoolCurt Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:44AM]

he probably keeps it in his pocket. if you don't want it to do this you probably have to get a clip. all my smartphones have done this since i keep them in my pocket (including my TP2 now). i used to use clips but had bad experiences where they broke and dropped my phone (luckily it was at college and someone returned it).

[InnocentEd Posted Apr 2nd 2010 12:01PM]

I am pretty rough with my Nexus One and I have had it since before official launch using it everyday heavily. I don't see any sign of anything like this.
I don't have a case for it and I just throw it in my pocket. :) Just another experience.

[mpv Posted Apr 2nd 2010 12:26PM]

For those interested, here's a (lengthy) thread about the black splotches the article mentions at the outset:

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?hl=en&tid=089016f8afef69fb

[koldvico Posted Apr 2nd 2010 12:47PM]

I got mine on March 22nd, and I've shown no issues of anything messing up at all, I keep mine in the neoprene case in my pocket (both slacks and jeans)

[NuShrike Posted Apr 2nd 2010 1:12PM]

Kinda what happens when it's paint over plastic. Real metal or rubberized FTW.

[Student Driver Posted Apr 2nd 2010 1:20PM]

I got my Nexus One since it came out, and I ordered the dock the day it was available. I've had neither this paint issue nor the power button issue. However, I think I just baby things much more than most people. I now use the track ball wake app (rooted, of course) to wake the phone and I use those crystal thermoplastic cases you find on Amazon.

[ChechenTDG Posted Apr 2nd 2010 1:27PM]

One little thing happens to the Nexus One, everybody says it's shit. Suck it up.

[kthorstrejka Posted Apr 2nd 2010 11:34PM]

@ChechenTDG

same with the iPhone.

[CrookedFox Posted Apr 2nd 2010 1:58PM]

Rubbish. I always keep mine in the case and it looks as good as new.

[kenzihuang Posted Apr 2nd 2010 2:21PM]

you mentioned that the black splotches are removable, but how to remove them thanks

[marik1234 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 2:29PM]

So 2 people have problems and engadget reports it and starts bashing the Nexus One? I'm RAGE'D. How about instead spitting the truth and telling us how slow the HD2 is and how garbage WM6.5 is? Shit is so fuckin slow and laggy it's just amazing. It's nothing compared to my sexy nexy, I went back to it. Good thang I got the HD2 for free...else I woulda been mad if I paid for it LOL. Smh can't believe the lag with the same Snapdragon in it, the Nexus is a bajillion times faster and easier to use than the HD2 that it's not even funny, and don't even get me started on browsing. Chrome on Android 2.1 is the best and most perfect mobile browser out there, all the browsers on WM suck. IE is trash, Opera mobile is also surprisingly pretty incompetent and Skyfire is garbage except for having Flash. Even though the flash is slow/choppy like you'd expect it's still pretty cool to have Flash on your phone and you can just wait for a flash vid to load up if you wanna watch it for fun so I'll give it that, all it really has besides the big screen. Ugh can't believe you T-Mo. Better get an HSPA+ variant of the Supersonic/EVO 4G or make the Galaxy S/Pro the MyTouch 4G.

[Dr Yusuf AlKindi Posted Apr 2nd 2010 4:48PM]

@marik1234 If what you say is true, you have finally convinced me! I have been having iPhone envy. Then I was in the AT&T store and saw the flip. I want a real tactile keyboard, but I am persuaded by your enthusiasm. What else do you like about your Nexy?

yusuf.alkindi (at) gmail (dot) com

[gdigenis1 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 2:37PM]

am i the only one that thinks that there is something in the microphone hole? it looks like it is the paint that peeled away from under the mic hole which would indicate that it was pushed up. i am not expert, but it looks like the person complaining damaged the phone. it looks like it was pushed against something with enough force to peel the paint off to me.

i really wish bloggers wouldnt feel the need to try to be first to report any POTENTIAL issues as more often than not it is all BS anyways. i am looking for sites that report actual news and hands on reviews, not speculation.

[Johnny Rockets Posted Apr 2nd 2010 3:00PM]

So 2 out of 150,000 devices have a problem and suddenly it's news?

FFS enough is enough.

What is with bloggers actively LOOKING for potential issues (read: rumors) just to knock down the Nexus One?

"Oh no, it's not the god-sent iPhone so we can't post anything positive about it."

[Chris Ziegler Posted Apr 2nd 2010 3:23PM]

@Johnny Rockets You new here?

[Kultyper Posted Apr 2nd 2010 3:16PM]

Who cares. It's a phone. It's gonna end up with scratches and normal wear.

[edgesince84 Posted Apr 2nd 2010 3:30PM]

I sold mine after a week after reading some not-so-good things about the Nexus, and an article like this can't boost the stock on the phones.

[hfm Posted Apr 2nd 2010 5:29PM]

I own the dock and also use the little sleeve that came with it to protect it when in my pocket. I do have a nick on the bottom I do have a nick on it between the USB socket and the lone dock contact.. probably me nicking it on something..

I kind of expect to see nicks and scratches over time, probably even eventual eroding of finish.. just the way it goes for a device i carry around everywhere...

Is there a good case for the N1 that would still allow me to use the dock and also not make me feel like i'm going to drop it all the time?

[iancox Posted Apr 2nd 2010 7:34PM]

I've had my Nexus for just over 2 months And I Haven't noticed any peeling... However I dont use the dock or neoprene case

[maythetechbewithyou Posted Apr 2nd 2010 8:22PM]

The guy was probably careless. My Eris has no dings in it yet, but I know in the long run it will. I just hope I can get a Nexus One in place of it when the VZW version comes.

[alexz Posted Apr 3rd 2010 1:54AM]

Don't use your android phone to antique your table.

[LessThanDug Posted Apr 3rd 2010 2:05PM]

This isn't something specific to just the Nexus One. This is something you're going to see on a lot of phones. I'm seeing it on my N97 as we speak. It's a simple matter of manufacturers using cheap paint on the finish of their products to cut costs down. The solution is to either do a better job in the painting process, or simply give the plastic the color you ultimately want, when you're molding the plastic for each part of the device.

[crubbish Posted Apr 3rd 2010 9:56PM]

I certainly hope this isn't a common problem with Nexus but there's some bad history with HTC when they produce devices for other companies. Palm Treo Pro + SE Xperia X1 both had wide spread problems with cracks in the bodies & paint peeling off (Xperia). Actually my Treo Pro had letter "l" falling off from it's back. And I am a Very careful user...

[Greenarcher Posted Apr 3rd 2010 10:44PM]

I have the Holiday Edition, and it still looks like it just came out of the box. Best screen protector? I would vote the Clarivue.. You will not notice it at all.

[Openwave Posted Apr 4th 2010 3:21AM]

moar nexus

[adv1112 Posted Apr 4th 2010 4:02AM]

I can wreck my nexus one and send you some pictures;) Had mine since Jan 11 used it very extensively always used the black cover sleeve sent along with the phone. Even dropped my n1 once in the sleeve. Looks as new, no scratches on screen, aluminium and plastic back look as new... seems to me like the user abused his phone

[bornstnp Posted Apr 5th 2010 12:22PM]

DROID does...not lose its finish.